Yes, we all know the technology is decades old, but plugging your guitar into one of the best tube amps and turning it up is such a satisfying and rewarding thing to do. Even with all the great digital modeling technology at our disposal, there’s still something about the response and feel of a good old tube amp that can’t be beaten.
Shades of loud and quiet are more nuanced; that sacred ground between clean and overdriven is more responsive, and the overdrive is harmonically richer. A tube amp gives out exactly what you put in.
Many amp manufacturers are also incorporating modern technology into their tube amp designs allowing you to get that classic tube sound and feel but with more practical features.
There are lots of different options on the market from classic brands like Fender and Marshall, as well as more recent contenders including Blackstar and Friedman, but how do you know what’s going to be the best tube amp for your needs? I've tested a bunch and scoured the market to bring you some incredible options, but if you want my top pick straight off the bat, I've chosen the Mesa/Boogie California Tweed 6V6 4:40 thanks to its warm bottom end, crystal highs and long-tank spring reverb.
Below, you'll find a wide range of other options for every budget, along with a FAQ section and a glossary of the key terms you might come across while shopping for a new tube amp.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you want an easy to use, great sounding amp: With its uncluttered control panel and pared back design, this is an easy tube amp to get to grips with.
❌ Avoid if you want a feature-rich tube amp: This is a pretty straightforward amp, and you might be after something offering a few more bells and whistles.
Mesa amps have a reputation for being complex monsters, and we love them for that. Loads of gain and lots of sliders, switches, knobs – you get the picture.
However, this stunning amp is a complete departure. It's Randall Smith's homage to Leo Fender's amp designs of the 1950s – hence the 'Tweed' moniker. The story goes that when Randall started building Mesa/Boogie amps in the 1960s, he was heavily influenced by Leo's tweed circuits. He loved the organic-sounding voicings, and the way they smoothly transitioned from sparkly clean to distortion and back again, which was partly down to their use of 6V6 tubes.
The California Tweed 6V6 4:40 is a delightfully simple amp, both to behold and to use. The uncluttered control panel features just seven chicken-head knobs for gain, master, EQ, presence and reverb, plus a Multi-Watt selector, which alters the output from 40 watts down to just two. There's a normal input plus a clean input, which is padded down so that it doesn't drive the preamp as much for maximum headroom.
The Multi-Watt selector is fascinating because it offers much more than just the five power levels marked around the dial: 2W, 10W, 20W, 30W and 40W. For each selection, different circuits and operating classes are brought into play, offering different voicings and providing scope for endless tonal experimentation.
Simplistically, the 2W setting is perfect for high-gain sounds in a home setting, while clicking around to 40W will give you a ton of clean headroom for your effects rig. However, the reality is much more nuanced and interesting than that.
Whatever setting you choose, Randall's California Tweed delivers on its promise of delicious 6V6 smoothness and dynamics. With its warm bottom end, crystal highs and long-tank spring reverb, it'll reward you with some of the best tones you'll ever hear from your guitar.
The California Tweed is also available as a head.
Best budget
✅ Buy if you want one of the best budget tube amps around: This is a fantastic amp that performs beautifully and well beyond its price bracket.
❌ Avoid if you're looking to hook up a pair of wired headphones: As good as this amp is, if you're rocking wired headphones for practice, you're out of luck as there's no headphone socket.
The Laney Cub Super12 is an incredibly straight-forward 15W, single channel tube amp. Capable of nice, chimey cleans as well as roaring overdriven tones, it’s really versatile plus it’s loud enough to cover you for small gigs.
There’s a separate input rated at under 1W too so it makes for an excellent bedroom practice amp too.
You’ve got a three-band EQ, controls for gain and volume as well as a lovely sounding digital reverb and even a footswitchable boost. Should you need to move more air, you can connect an external speaker, and there is an effects loop.
When we tried out the Super12, we used a variety of guitars and all of them sounded warm, expansive an clean through the amp, making this a great workhorse practice amp.
When you take this into consideration along with the price, this is a tube amp that punches well above what you might be expecting and it's without question, one of the best budget tube amps currently on the market.
"Compact and practical, not to mention affordable, the Cub-Super12 is a simple, practical and very charming little tube combo with exceptional tones."
Read more: Laney Cub-Super12 review
Best compact
✅ Buy if you want a small tube amp with rich tones: This amp will serve you well for for playing at home - and its tones simply don't disappoint.
❌ Avoid if you're looking for big power: Perfect for home use, but it lacks the volume required for the live circuit.
Blackstar's HT series of amplifiers took the guitar world by storm on their release, with their low-wattage offerings catching the eyes of guitarists all over the globe. The original HT-1 and HT-1R were both fan favorites, so it's only right that the MKII is killer, too.
The HT-1R MKIII carries over all of the best features of its predecessors. With one watt of all-tube power, it creates an almost unstoppable amount of harmonically rich tonal bliss - something you'd struggle to expect from a single 8" speaker bolted onto a two-tube amp section.
This amp is not only tonally impressive - the features which Blackstar has managed to incorporate into the HT-1R MKIII make it a contender for the title of 'ultimate home amp'. Of course, we're talking about the USB emulated output - which turns your HT-1R MKII into an audio interface, capturing and immortalising your all-tube tone.
Not too bad, eh? Well, for less than $350, it's marvellous. For more budget options take a look at our guide to the best tube amps under $500.
"When you want the sound and versatility of a big amp but don’t want to deal with more volume than you need or the hassles of hauling a heavy boat anchor around, Blackstar’s new HT Series MK III amps provide a range of useful options for recording, practice and performance applications of musical styles."
Read more: Blackstar HT-1R MKIII review
Best vintage
✅ Buy if you want an amp with gorgeous retro looks and style: It not only looks the part, but the AC15 C1 sounds great too with lots of top-end chime.
❌ Avoid if you want a lightweight amp: This Vox is definitely on the heavier side – and its vintage look might not be to your liking.
Fender and Marshall aside, is there any other amp that looks as iconic as a Vox? The Vox AC amps are synonymous with the British Invasion music of the 1960s and are just as popular today as they were back then.
They sound clean and driven making them pretty versatile – and that’s probably why you’ve seen them on stage so many times with the likes of Oasis, Radiohead, My Chemical Romance, Queen, Rory Gallagher, QOTSA, Foo Fighters and loads more artists using them on stage.
The Vox AC15 C1 is a really nice size too; it’s loud enough to play smallish gigs with, but it’s more manageable than the AC30 so you can use it at home easily too. It’s quite bright sounding, with lots of top end chime, plus the on board reverb and tremolo is really nice.
If I was nitpicking, I'd say lugging it around could be an issue for some, given its hefty 48lb 8oz (22kg) weight.
Best for blues
✅ Buy if you're a blues player looking for a classic: The ST20C is perfect for blues players who want to craft clean and crunchy tones, with a touch of Marshall style.
❌ Avoid if you want a a more gentle sound: With the volume up, this is a raucous amp, so you might want to try something a little more gentle-sounding.
If you’ve ever heard the term ‘Bluesbreaker’ when talking about amps, people will be referring to what was essentially a Marshall JTM45 head put into a combo format. It was done at the request of Eric Clapton and he used this amp a lot with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.
Fast forward to today, and we have a JTM combo that’s received Marshall’s modern Studio treatment. At full power, it’s a 20W amp, which, if you’re pushing the amp to break up, is very loud. However, you can reduce the power down to 5W making it considerably more manageable - especially compared to the originals.
It does both clean and crunchy tones incredibly well, making it the perfect blues amp. And, while its soul is undeniably decades old, the Studio JTM does boast modern features that make it really practical. Alongside the power switch, you now have an effects loop and even a DI output jack.
Best for home
✅ Buy if you want great little amp for use at home: With its great tone at low volumes, the Tone King Gremlin is perfectly suited to a home environment.
❌ Avoid if you want a more fully-featured amp: The Tone King Gremlin's appeal lies in its scaled back features, so if you want a little more, you'd best look elsewhere.
While we guitarists love nothing better than sitting at home in front of a cranked amp all day, it's probably safe to assume that family and neighbors rarely share the same level of enthusiasm. In fact, let's be honest, playing a 30W tube amp at volume – clean or driven – becomes pretty tiring for us, too, after a surprisingly short amount of time.
That's where a small, low-wattage tube amp like the Gremlin comes in. Like all Tone King amps, it rocks a goofy retro-futuristic aesthetic, which we really rate. If black is too somber for you, it's also available in Surf Green and a few other colors.
It's a really straightforward little amp based on a very simple premise – what if you could pack a vintage Fender Blackface and a Fender Tweed into the same little box? Plug your guitar into the Rhythm input and you've got Blackface tone at your fingertips, with bell-like highs and increased headroom. Plug into the Lead input to discover more distorted tones reminiscent of a driven Tweed amp. It's even possible to jump between them or blend the two channels with an optional A/B/Y switch.
Recognizing that even five watts can generate a significant amount of volume, Tone King has equipped the Gremlin with its Ironman II attenuator, which reduces volume even when the power amp is being fully driven. This preserves tone to an extent, despite the fact that the speaker won't be breaking up or compressing.
Controls are scant; there's just a rotary volume knob and a single tone knob. Nevertheless, it's easy to achieve a myriad of tones with the Gremlin's two channels, and rather refreshing not to get bogged down in endless EQ options.
Although the Gremlin is a natural for home or studio use, the line out means it's quite possible to gig with it.
Best for metal
✅ Buy if you're a metal player who wants your amp to shine: This is a modern classic that'll suit shredders down to the ground.
❌ Avoid if your style of playing is a little more reserved: While its not a one-dimensional amp by any means, it really is best suited for a heavier style of playing.
The original Orange tone, from the late '60s and early '70s, was associated with the sonic plat du jour – blues-tinged rock. Sadly, the brand fell into the doldrums in the ’80s, faring rather better with the '90s Britpop scene. But by the early 2000s, modern high-gain metal was inspiring the amp-buying public, forcing Orange to play catch-up.
The result was the Orange Rockerverb, a no-holds-barred metal amp that quickly became a favorite of Slipknot's Jim Root. Perfect for the genre, it took no prisoners!
The Rockerverb 50 MKIII is still a metal powerhouse, but over the years it's matured into a more rounded, multi-talented product. Most noticeably, there's much more headroom and the clean channel has been revoiced for a crisper response that's still warm but never murky.
The gain channel can still dish the dirt with the best of them, but even that cleans up rather nicely when you want it to.
Using the switchable power output is another way to shape your tone. At the full 50W, there's acres and acres of headroom to play with. However, engage half-power mode and the power amp starts clipping more readily, yielding more accessible, smooth-saturated tones. It's hardly an exclusive or ground-breaking feature, but it's welcome nonetheless.
There's a foot-switchable attenuator onboard, too, meaning you can crank away to your heart’s content, while keeping the volume at reasonable levels.
The Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII is a modern classic that hasn't lost muscle tone or gained flab as it’s matured. Instead, it's broadened its skillset.
Best lunchbox
✅ Buy if want a lightweight and portable amp: Weighing in at 21.5lb (9.75kg) means this is an Orange amp you can easily take out on the road.
❌ Avoid if your after something to use at home: This is an amp that's more suited to life on the road than sitting in your front room.
There’s a lot to be said for simplicity, particularly if you’re out gigging. The Orange Dual Terror is a two-channel tube head with just six knobs, so there’s very little to go wrong with.
Each channel has a control for gain, volume and tone and with these you can dial in a wide range of different sounds. One channel is based on the legendary Tiny Terror with the other channel being a slightly beefed up version with a little more gain on tap. This lets you set one channel up as slightly crunchy and the other more distorted. Or, you can play with the volume settings and hey presto - you’ve got a footswitchable boost for solos.
This is a tube amp that's really easy to use and those tone knobs are great for honing in on the specific sound you like, or adjusting the EQ to suit different pickups. It’s also a fairly compact unit, making it ideal for taking it out on the road.
"Capable of everything from sparkly cleans to powerful distorted tones and with a super easy-to-use layout, the Orange Dual Terror could well be the perfect affordable gigging dual-channel head out there right now."
Read more: Orange Dual Terror review
Best lightweight
✅ Buy if want a brilliant and amp that doesn't weigh a ton: Sure, this amp is light but that's only part of the story. It's well equipped and sounds the business.
❌ Avoid if your want an amp with a bit more life: For some players, the sound produced with the St James is a little bland for their tastes.
For players seeking a serious tube amp but don’t want to deal with the weight that so often accompanies them, then Blackstar’s St. James range is definitely worth a closer look. Their weight isn’t the only selling point though; regardless of how heavy they are (or aren’t), they’re just fantastic amplifiers.
Available in both 6L6 and EL34 versions you can go down either a more British-style voicing or US-style one depending on your personal preference.
Personally, I like the 6L6 because of its high headroom – it makes for a superb pedal platform. That said, if you need gain, it’s got that too... and lots of it! This thing can shred and chug with the best of them.
The Blackstar St. James amps are also equipped with some fantastic modern technology. It’s got a USB output for direct recording, cabinet simulation, power reduction and more.
Best for pedals
✅ Buy if want an amp with classic Fender tones: The '65 can produce some lovely warm tones and also rock out with the best of them at higher volumes.
❌ Avoid if you want to swerve those Fender tones in favour of something a little different: This gigging amp is great for rock, but other styles are better suited elsewhere.
The Deluxe Reverb has to be one of the best tube amps of all time. It sits in a sweet spot in terms of its power output in that you can get some pretty loud clean tones out of it, but also its break up point doesn’t deafen everyone. The person doing sound at your local dive bar won’t panic when they see you lugging one of these in.
The clean tones are what you'd expect from a Fender amp – lush, warm and glassy, but as you turn the volume up, you start to get a little more compression and gradual breakup. On 10 it’s a superb rock amp, and though very loud – it’s still manageable.
If you need more gain at lower volumes then fear not – it makes for a really good pedal platform too. There’s a reason why so many gigging musicians use these amps – they sound incredible, they’re reliable and they’re an ideal size.
"This is one of the best amps around for clean tones, even at low volumes. However, crank the volume and you’ll unlock some of the best natural overdrive you’ll hear, too."
Read more: Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue review
Also tested
How to choose a tube amp
Choosing the best tube amp will vary so much from player to player. The needs of a jazz guitarist playing at home is wildly different to a touring metal guitarist.
Of course, tone is of paramount importance. Things like the tubes used, circuit design, speaker, transformer, rectifier and more all play a part in the sounds that you hear emanating from your new purchase.
You should think about how much volume you’ll need out of it too; you don’t really want something too big for your needs, and you certainly don’t want it being too small!
Loads of modern tube amps have some really neat additional features too. Checking these out could well make you choose one particular model over another.
Further below you'll find some FAQs that will hopefully help you find the best tube amp for your particular style.
FAQs
Do all tube amps have a master volume?
Back in the early days of tube amps, there tended to be controls for EQ, volume and maybe tremolo or reverb – gain wasn’t really a thing like it is today. The volume was literally just there to let you control how loud it was and, the sound breaking up as you turn it up more was not seen as a desired feature.
That means if you’re buying an amp that’s based on an early design – like an old Fender or Marshall reissue, then be aware that it probably doesn’t have a ‘master’ control as such. If you want some gain out of it, then you’re going to have to crank the volume.
More modern amps tend to have individual controls for volume and gain so you can dirty things up without earning complaints from the neighbors.
What's the difference between pre-amp and power amp?
All tube amps have a pre-amp and power amp section. As its name suggests, a pre-amp sits before any tone-shaping capabilities. Many amps allow you to push the pre-amp tube(s) so that you can achieve that organic overdrive and natural compression that helps make these amps so desirable. If there’s a pre-amp control, then you can crank that and keep the master knob low to get overdriven sounds at lower volumes.
The power amp section sits at the end, and, depending on the model of amp will also push the amp into natural overdrive when cranked. As mentioned above, this is how you get old amps to break up. Doing so can result in a nice, open sound with incredible dynamic range. Modern amps that feature a gain control quite often have fairly clean sounding power amps, letting the pre-amp do most of the distorting.
How powerful does my amp need to be?
It might seem obvious that a more powerful, higher wattage amp will be louder than a lower wattage amp. However, how you intend to use your amp will also affect which one is right for you.
If you want clean tones at high volumes, then you'll want a high wattage amp. We know power amp sections can distort when pushed, so having a powerful amp means you don’t have to turn the volume all the way up so you won’t risk dirtying up your clean sounds.
If you want overdriven tones at low volumes, you’ll want a low wattage amp. This way you can push the power amp section to get it to break up but it won’t be deafeningly loud. Another way is to get an amp that has a master volume – you can turn the gain or pre-amp section up and keep the master volume down.
A lot of amps have power switching capabilities. This allows you to toggle from one power rating to another, giving you the best of both worlds.
Does the size of the tube amp matter?
Often related to power is the physical size and weight of the amp. You might want different things from an amp that lives in the studio compared to one you’re taking on the road.
Tube amps can often be heavy, so if you’re lugging it in and out of a car all the time, weight can be a factor when choosing. Something like the Blackstar St. James range is lightweight so will make load-ins that bit easier.
Tube amps do come in all sorts of different sizes, from compact practice amps to stage-ready stacks. If you have a specific space you want your amp to fit in, you’ll usually be able to find the amp’s dimensions on the manufacturer’s website.
Do the different tubes make a difference?
Yes, the different types of tubes do have an impact on the sound that you get. Circuit design, what speaker you’re using and many other factors also shape your overall sound, but here’s a general overview of tonal characteristics associated with the common tubes used in amps.
Preamp
ECC83/12AX7: By far the most common tube used in pre-amp sections. Others are out there, but the ECC83 is the most popular due to the smooth, musical way in which it breaks up when pushed. It compresses nicely and offers a rich midrange which is perfect for the guitar.
Power amp
EL34: Commonly used in classic British amps – Marshall, Orange, Hiwatt etc, the EL34 can sound nice and open with a really punchy midrange. They break up quite early too making them great for payers who want a more overdriven sound.
6L6: If the EL34 is the British tube, then the 6L6 is the American one. Found in many classic Fender amps, the 6L6 has a lot of clean headroom along with a powerful bottom end, glassy, shimmering treble frequencies and slight natural scoop in the mids. When it does break up, the drive is smooth and warm.
6V6: A little like a lower powered 6L6. These break up much earlier and have more presence in the midrange.
KT66: Famously used in Jim Marshall’s early JTM45, KT66 tubes aren’t too dissimilar to 6L6s, but are more forward in the mids as opposed to being scooped. They also break up sooner.
EL84: These have less headroom than EL34s so will break up and compress earlier on. There’s a little more going on in the upper midrange as well, which is way many people say these amps sound ‘chimey’ - think Vox AC30.
Can I swap out the tubes in my amp?
Tubes can be replaced. It’s a little bit like strings in that they can wear out over time. However you don’t need to replace them anywhere near as regularly – you’ll get years of use out of one set.
Different types of tubes yield different tones, but whether or not your amp can accommodate this will vary depending on the model. It’s crucial that you check this before before trying.
Should I buy a head or a combo?
The best tube amp for you could be either a head or a combo. How and where you plan on using the amp could inform which route you take.
A combo is an all-in-one solution, where the amp and speaker sections are together in one unit. You don’t need anything else to get your sound.
A head requires an external speaker cabinet; on its own it won’t make any noise. As such, heads tend to be more compact. If you’re playing in clubs, heads can be a good option as many venues have their own cab, or you can ask to share with the other bands.
It also means you can experiment with different cabs as the speaker through which your amp is played can actually have a massive impact on your tone.
Do tube amps have effects?
Some of the best tube amps might have one or two effects; usually reverb and/or tremolo. You’ll find that many classic Fender amps have both of these on board, whereas old-school Marshalls won’t have any.
Unlike with digital amps, you’ll have to get most, if not all of your effects by using separate pedals when playing through a tube amp.
Do I need an effects loop?
An effects loop is placed between the pre-amp and power amp and sends your guitar signal out to a separate chain of pedals. It then comes back and carries on its journey as normal.
By using an effects loop, your pedals won’t have any impact on the pre-amp section as they’re placed after it. Some players like to use time-based and modulation effects in the effects loop as they like the clarity it gives.
Effects loops aren’t essential – you can still use any effects you like in front of the amp; it’s all down to personal preference.
Glossary
Tube: Called valves in the UK, tubes are small glass bulbs within an amplifier that help boost your guitar signal.
Pre-amp: The part of the amp that sits before any sort of EQ. It helps shape your tone before sending it to the power amp.
Power amp: This takes the signal from the pre-amp and turns it into a signal that can drive a speaker.
Head: A head is just the pre and power amp part of a guitar amp. It makes no sound on its own and so requires a cab.
Cab: This is short for cabinet (as in speaker cabinet). It will contain usually one, two or four speakers.
Combo: This is an all-in-one unit containing the amp and speaker components.
Breakup: When an amp gradually starts to distort due the tubes being pushed harder.
Rectifier: Part of the amp’s power section that converts AC electricity into DC.
Headroom: Used to describe how much you can turn an amp up before it starts to distort.
How we test tube amps
When it comes to testing, there are a few things we like to do to put an amplifier through its paces. That said, we must first mention that as guitar amps come in various shapes and sizes, how we test them can differ, depending on the amplifier's intended use. For example, volume and projection are massive considerations when it comes to amps designed to be played on stage or in a rehearsal room, but not so much for home use practice amps.
What shouldn't change between home and live amps is the build quality, and that's the first thing we look for. For us, all amps should be well made and sturdy, regardless of their application. In our opinion, guitar amps should feel robust and able to withstand anything you throw at them, and the controls should be smooth, with just the right amount of resistance.
To test the amps out tonally, we'll start where most guitarists start, everything straight up the middle. This usually allows us to hear the amp at its most sonically honest. We'll then dive in and start shaping the sound to how we like it, paying careful attention to the sweep of the EQ controls in particular. We'll also be sure to test the amp at both ends of the gain spectrum, from as much saturation as we can get to as clean as possible.
If an amp has any other features, such as effects or attenuators, we'll be sure to go through them as well, making sure we've tested every last extra onboard.
Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
How we choose
Here at Guitar World, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything guitar and bass related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best tube amps available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
First and foremost, we are guitarists, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best travel amps on the market right now.
Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
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Guitar World boasts more than 44 years of expertise and stands as the ultimate authority on all things related to guitars. The magazine and website feature expertly written gear round-ups and top-quality, authoritative reviews penned by a team of highly experienced industry professionals.
Guitar World's inaugural print issue hit the shelves in July 1980, and ever since, it has been captivating players and enthusiasts with engaging lessons, insightful interviews with the biggest guitar heroes, and priceless buying advice for newbie players.
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Below, you'll find more information about the expert authors and reviewers who helped put this page together.
Meet the experts
When Simon's childhood classical guitar teacher boasted he 'enjoyed a challenge', the poor man had no idea how much he'd underestimated the scale of the task ahead. Despite Simon's lack of talent, the experience did spark a lifelong passion for music. His classical guitar was discarded for an electric, then a room full of electrics before Simon discovered the joys of keys. Against all odds, Simon somehow managed to blag a career as a fashion journalist, but he's now more suitably employed writing for Guitar World and MusicRadar.
After spending a decade in music retail, Richard is now a freelance writer for MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar World and Reverb, specialising in electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and almost anything else you can make a tune with. When his head’s not buried in the best of modern and vintage gear, Richard runs a small company helping musicians with songwriting, production and performance, and plays bass in an alt-rock band. Otherwise, you'll probably find him out walking the dog!
Latest updates
08/20/26: The guide has been updated with new copy and a bunch of new entries with clear lables for each use case. All amp entries now also feature an "At A Glance" panel highlighting the pros and cons, and expert verdict boxes have been applied where applicable. The FAQ section has been completely rewritten and a new glossary section highlighting a selection of key terms is now included. We've also added a section on how we chose the tube amps featured and explained why you can trust the Guitar World team. Finally, we've added a "Meet The Experts" section so you can get to know the authors behind the guide.
Read more:
You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
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